Steve Shrubb leaving NHS Confederation to lead trust

Steve Shrubb is leaving his role as director of the NHS Confederation’s mental health network to take on “one of the biggest mental health jobs in the country”.

He will take up the post of chief executive at the West London Mental Health Trust in June, it was announced today.

Mr Shrubb, who has led the mental health network for the past five years, said he was “very excited” about his new job.

He joins West London as it works towards becoming a foundation trust in 2013 and amid plans to redevelop both its main sites – Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire and St Bernard’s Hospital in Ealing.

NHS Confederation chief executive Mike Farrar described the role as “one of the biggest mental health jobs in the country”.

“Steve has done a fantastic job over the past five years as director of the mental health network and it is great to see him taking his expertise back into the NHS to deliver for service users, the families and the local community in West London,” he said.

Paddy Cooney has been appointed interim director of the mental health network.

Until March this year he was director of the South West Development Centre and the programme lead for the social inclusion and social justice programme within the Department of Health’s mental health unit.

He was previously chief executive of the Somerset Partnership NHS and Social Care Trust.

Financial penalties are being lifted from high-profile standards including cancer and elective waiting times, so far without attracting much attention. How is this happening? And will it work, asks Rob Findlay